Off to work leaving Toby asleep upstairs. Bumped into Janet as I walked out of my front door, only to discover that I'd forgotten my train tickets and so on. Met her again briefly at the station with two women, one of whom being the splendidly named Naomi Trickey, one of Janet's MA students who I will be seeing on Wednesday to discuss collaboration and creativity.

The Gnome away. An email in my inbasket from him with an "I'm on holiday and you're not" message with 60 or 70 Ha-has in a column underneath. Wrote interminable breast cancer publications. But slipped away at lunch, not for the intended swim, but to hang out with the French Bloke and get a mental breath of fresh air.

Left work ultra punctually and got home in good time to meet up with Remo and have a discussion about shelves for my study, which is all part of the plot to gain control of my own home and become tidy and efficient. Had to hurry this process up as Anton and Anna had just invited me up the road for a bite to eat with the delightful Christiane who is over from Australia for her sister Caroline's wedding. Apparently the hen night was altered at the last minute as they were supposed to fly to Barcelona, but couldn't because of the security alert.

I'd not seen Christiane for some 4 or 5 years I think, and she has traces of an Australian twang about her now. Interesting to hear about life down under.